Knicks lose to Rockets/Refs in Houston

Brunson and the Knicks EARNED an opportunity to continue competing in overtime... They didn't get it.

Final Score: Knicks 103 - Rockets 105
Record: 33-21

The Knicks played poorly in the first half. They were inefficient offensively (shooting below 28% from downtown and just 50% from the free throw stripe) and didn't take care of the basketball (committing 11 turnovers). They entered halftime trailing by 14 points. 

However, New York, led by the heart of Josh Hart and the tenacity of Jalen Brunson, fought and clawed their way back. They opened the second half with a 16-4 run and eventually tied the game toward the end of the third quarter. But the Rockets made another push, building an 11-point lead halfway through the final frame. Yet, once again, the Knicks came storming back. Brunson and the newest Knick, Bojan Bogdanovic, knocked down clutch buckets while Precious Achiuwa grabbed boards and blocked shots. 

New York trailed by two points with less than ten seconds remaining when Brunson buried a 15-foot step-back jumper. That's what we should be talking about this morning. Clutch plays on both ends by two teams competing intensely. Instead, we're forced to discuss a call by an official against Brunson in the game's closing moments.

On Houston's final possession, after Achiuwa blocked a layup attempt by Jalen Green, Aaron Holiday grabbed the loose ball more than 30 feet from the basket. As he heaved the ball with one hand towards the rim, Brunson leaped to contest the attempt. As the wayward shot clanged off the iron, nearly everyone in the arena assumed the contest was headed to overtime. However, referee Jacyn Goble had other ideas, inexplicably whistling Brunson for a foul. 

Holiday made the first two free throws before intentionally missing the third, which resulted in time expiring and a Rockets victory. 

Typically, sports radio hosts and talking heads on TV would spend the morning debating the validity of the call, at least until the NBA released the two-minute report. Yet, speaking with a pool reporter after the game, crew chief Ed Malloy removed any ambiguity by acknowledging Goble had blown the call. 

Malloy said the officials initially believed "the lower body contact was illegal contact." Yet, Malloy then stated, "after seeing it during the postgame review, the offensive player was able to return to a normal playing position on the floor. Therefore, the contact which occurred after the ball's release is incidental and marginal to the shot attempt and should not have been called."

Unfortunately for New York, that explanation doesn't improve their win-loss record. Should they end the season as the four-seed instead of the three-seed, they can't request the league bump them up in the standings because of a blown call two months prior. 

It's also important to note that the refs were inconsistent throughout the contest. For instance, in the third quarter, Dillon Brooks lowered his shoulder and barreled over Brunson, but Goble whistled Brunon for a block. 

The Knicks had 57 drives last night, ten more than the Rockets.

The Knicks took 53 shots in the paint last night, six more than the Rockets.

Yet, somehow, the Knicks took just 12 free throws, 21 fewer than the Rockets, who went to the line 33 times. 

Athletes can accept defeat. It may be tough to swallow at the moment, but they can live with an opponent outplaying them. However, losing a game due to a terrible call is far more difficult to endure.   

Brunson and company deserved an opportunity to play another five minutes of basketball and have the contest's outcome decided by the ten players on the court, not three officials with whistles. 

The Knicks EARNED an opportunity to continue competing in overtime. 

The fans, who spent their hard-earned money on a ticket to the arena or a cable bill to watch the game from home, deserved better as well.

Other Takeaways and Knicks Notes:

🏀 The shame of last night's blown call is that it overshadows excellent performances from players on both teams. Brunson scored clutch four points in the final minute and finished with 27 (10-of-25 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), four rebounds, seven assists, and two 3-pointers. It's his eighth straight game with at least 27 points, tying Carmelo Anthony for the second-longest such streak by a 'Bocker in the past 40 years. 

Dating back to mid-January, Brunson is averaging 32.3 points and 6.7 assists while shooting over 50% from the floor. He joins Patrick Ewing and Bernard King as just the third player in Knicks franchise history to average more than 32 points per game while posting a FG% north of 50% over a 14-game spn. 

Brunson is the first and only Knick to average more than 32 points and six dimes a night over a 14-game stretch. 

JB ranks second in the entire league in scoring over the past month, trailing only Luka Doncic. 

🏀 Josh Hart has been getting some slack from fans due to his inconsistent shooting of late, but he showed his value Monday night. His effort and energy in the second half sparked the Knicks rally and kept them in the contest. Hart ended the evening with 17 points (7-of-11 FGs), 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three 3-pointers in 42 minutes. He also had a game-high six deflections.

Remarkably, it was his eighth straight game with double-digit rebounds. Per Justin Kubatko's Substack, the 6-foot-4-inch Josh Hart is the second player since the ABA-NBA merger with a listed height of 6" 5' or shorter to grab at least ten boards in eight consecutive contests. The other is Russell Westbrook, who has two 17-game streaks and two nine-game streaks. 

🏀 For as well as Brunson and Hart played, I thought Precious Achiuwa authored the most impressive all-around performance by a Knick on this night. Achiuwa ripped down a game-high 17 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end, blocked three shots (contested several others) and chipped in eight points (on 4-of-8 shooting). He did a fantastic job defending Alperen Sengun, holding Houston's leading scorer and rebounder below his season averages in both categories. 

After a slow start to Knicks tenure, Achiuwa has given New York everything they could have possibly hoped for, and then some, over the past few weeks. Dating back to the end of January, he leads the NBA in minutes played while averaging 13.3 points (on 53.9% shooting), 10.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks. Anthony Davis is the only other player in the NBA to average a double-double and more than one steal and one block during this stretch.  

🏀 Bojan Bogdanovic (15 points, four rebounds, one block, and one 3-pointer in 23 minutes) finally found his groove late in the fourth quarter and had several clutch buckets down the scratch… Alec Burks (five points, one rebound, two assists) was 1-of-8 from the floor but made a big three-pointer in the right corner in the final two minutes… Jericho Sims returned after missing three games due to an illness and started at center. He played relatively well in his 29 minutes of action, finishing with four points and seven boards… Taj Gibson logged six minutes off the bench and once again looked lost. 

🏀 Donte DiVincenzo tallied 23 points on 21 FG attempts (9-of-21), five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and five 3-pointers. However, after playing 41 of the game's first 43 minutes, DDV left the contest with just over five minutes. He checked out due to a hamstring issue and limped to the locker room. Thibodeau did not provide any details postgame, and DiVincenzo didn't speak with reporters, so we have no idea as to the severity of the injury. Needless to say, the Knicks can not afford to lose another starter. 

🏀 Despite sitting out the final five minutes of regulation, DiVincenzo was one of four Knicks to log at least 39 minutes in Monday's loss. Thibs did not make a single substitution in the third quarter, playing his five starters the entire 12 minutes. 

There are four players in the NBA averaging 39+ minutes per game this month. Three of them are Knicks. 

Again, as we've noted previously, Thibodeau needs to start looking at the big picture. He can not treat regular season contests in February like a Game 7. 

🏀 Next Up: Knicks vs. the Magic on Wednesday (7:00 pm tip)

Orlando has played well of late, winning five of their last six games, with four of those contests coming away from home. Franz Wagner has been a beast, averaging 30/5/4 while shooting 60% from the floor and 43% from downtown over his last four games.

Fortunately for New York, Orlando hosts the West-leading OKC Thunder on Tuesday night, so the Knicks will catch the Magic on the second night of a back-to-back. 

Unfortunately for New York, they are running out of healthy human beings. Considering this is the Knicks' final game before the All-Star break, it's safe to assume they will err on the side of caution and rest DiVincenzo even if he feels fine. Ditto for Isaiah Hartenstein, who has missed two straight games due to a nagging Achilles injury. 

For everybody in the Northeast, enjoy the snow today! And we'll see if the Knicks deliver a Valentine's Day victory tomorrow.